New Game
By: Jen B.
Dedication: To John & Sarah who introduced me to B5 and got me addicted in the first
place and to Karen & Dennis for letting me borrow their DVDs to further my
addiction.
AN: I recently discovered Babylon 5 and have been watching it in marathon fashion
over the last few weeks. I saw the intro to season 4 and found out ahead of time
that Marcus would die. I watched each episode with increasing dread, savoring
every moment of screen time Marcus had. And even though I knew he would
sacrifice himself, I was still unprepared for the sadness I felt at the loss of such a
great character. So, this story was born as my tribute to the Marcus character. It is
most definitely AU.
Spoilers: Season 4 Endgame
"Susan!" Marcus called out.
She turned back to the view screen and then seeing the ship headed for her ran and hit the deck. Susan felt a heavy weight on her. She tried to move, get up, shake it off, but couldn't. Then she felt herself being lifted. She recognized the presence that was uniquely Marcus.
"I've got you Susan." He was saying as he ran down to med bay.
Then she lost all sense of anything. Later, how much later she didn't know, Susan became aware of someone next to her. She felt his hand on hers. She felt the calluses that come from hours spent practicing with a fighting Pike and knew it was Marcus. She tried to move, to talk and still her body refused to cooperate. She sensed several Minbari as well.
"Marcus, you need to let go. Give the doctors room to work," Delenn said.
Susan felt him hesitatingly release her hand, heard the sound of his boots on the deck as he stepped away.
"Come Marcus, you need to eat." Delenn coaxed.
"I don't want to leave her." He replied.
"I know. The doctors will be a few minutes. Let's get something to eat and then I promise that you can return to her bedside." Delenn soothed.
Susan heard the sound of their steps fading as they left the room. She felt the doctors attaching some metal framework to her body. Then a white hot wave of pain tore through her. She had not been aware of the pain until that moment. She saw nothing but the pain, could not focus anywhere else.
Marcus sat picking at his food, not really eating, just taking a bite every so often to satisfy Delenn.
"You care a great deal for Commander Ivanova." It was a statement more than a question. Delenn watched the ranger and saw her suspicions confirmed in the depths of his piercing blue eyes. At first he said nothing.
And then, "I love her, Delenn." He said and paused, "Is she going to be alright?"
"I don't know, Marcus. Time will tell, but the doctors say the damage is extensive."
"I don't want to lose her. Not again, not another one. I…" Suddenly he stopped.
Delenn looked up from her meal to see a grimace on Marcus' face. His hand went to his head, as if in great pain.
"Marcus, what is it?" she said placing a hand on his forearm.
"Pain. Ah-hot, piercing, all over." He said squeezing his eyes shut.
"May be we should have the doc..."
"No it's not me. It's…Susan. She's in pain. We have to get to her." He stood quickly, almost knocking his plate to the floor. He turned to leave and Delenn stopped him.
"How?"
"I don't know. But she's calling for me." Quickly they left the commissary.
Swiftly they traveled the halls. They were half way there when Marcus abruptly leaned against the wall, clutching his head. Delenn was instantly at his side.
"Marcus!"
He said nothing.
At that moment Capt. John Sheridan came around the corner. He saw his friends and ran to them.
"Delenn?" he questioned.
"John! Marcus has had sudden severe pain. He says it's Susan and she's calling for him."
"She's a latent telepath. Her barriers must be down and she's projecting on to Marcus." Sheridan replied helping the ranger to stand," Let's get him to her. It's the only way to help him and maybe her."
They stood on either side of him, Sheridan with his arm around the ranger guiding him to med bay. As they entered the door they were shocked to see Ivanova convulsing on the bed. The doctors and medical staff fought to stabilize her. Marcus stumbled to the bed. He grasped Susan's hand and whispered.
"Susan, I'm here. Take some deep breaths." With his free hand he smoothed the hair from her face in a calming motion. She opened her eyes and looked at him, her body still shaking.
"Scared. Can't stop. Help me" She said in his mind.
"Susan, Listen to my voice. Close your eyes. See in your mind a candle. Focus on the flame. There is only the flame. Breathe in and out." Marcus said soothingly as he took her through the calming exercise he'd learned during Ranger training, "There is only the flame. Feel the warmth from the flame. Feel it start at the tips of your toes and slowly encompass your whole body all the way to the top of your head. Feel your body relax and get lighter. Feel yourself floating. There is no pain only the flame."
John watched in amazement as Susan slowly stopped shaking. The doctor put a new IV line into Susan's arm to give her medicine for the pain as well as to help her sleep. Soon she was asleep and her hand slipped from Marcus' grasp. He looked up at the doctor.
"She's just sleeping now," the Minbari physician said, "Thank you for your help." He bowed in that Minbari way. Marcus bowed back and the doctor went to check on another patient.
He looked down at the sleeping commander. She looked peaceful and her voice was again absent from his mind. He turned to face Sheridan and Delenn.
"How did you do that?" John asked the ranger.
"It's a meditation technique taught in Ranger training. It's used primarily so that a ranger can separate themselves from pain if for example they are being tortured for information. But I find it works in other situations as well." Marcus replied.
"Well done, Marcus." Delenn said placing a hand on his arm.
Marcus sat by Susan's bed for hours, leaving only to answer the call of duty or nature. And even that he did reluctantly. He finally dozed off at around 2 am only to be awakened by Lennier gently shaking him an hour later.
"Marcus, I'm sorry to disturb you, but a meeting has been called and your presence is requested. It is most urgent." The Minbari priest said.
"Ok. I'll be right there. Thank you Lennier."
Marcus stood and stretched, feeling his joints pop as he did so. He checked to see that Susan was still stable and then left.
"We need to act quickly. Commander Ivanova and the white star fleet have given us a window. How long it stays open we don't know." Sheridan said addressing the assembled warriors. Then he began to issue command assignments.
"And Marcus I want you to take command of the white star that's come to take the place of Ivanova's ship."
"Captain, I don't…" the ranger protested.
"I understand how you feel, Marcus. But we need your help. We're too close to turn back now." Delenn pleaded.
Marcus nodded and left the room as soon as they were dismissed. He went straight back to med bay.
"Susan," he whispered to the sleeping commander, "the battle is going to start. I have to go, but I don't want to leave you. I'm afraid that if I do I won't see you again."
His link buzzed then.
"White Star 47 to Marcus."
"Go ahead." He replied.
"We are ready to launch."
"I'll be there in two minutes."
"I have to go. It's the right thing to do. You'd go if you could." He stood to his feet and leaned closer to her.
"I love you, Susan." He said softly, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. He looked at her for a moment and then turned and left for the docking bay.
Marcus strode on to the bridge of the white star. It never ceased to amaze him every time he did so. He thought the ships beautiful and impressive in their capabilities. He nodded to the crew and took his place in the command chair. For a moment he stared at the floor in front of the view screen. He relived the collision over and over in his mind.
"Stop that. It's not your fault." Susan invaded his mind again.
"Susan?" Marcus thought at her hoping she could read it.
"Who else?"
"Are you ok? I didn't want to leave you." Marcus thought back with a smile.
"I know you didn't, but they are taking me back to Babylon 5 and you need to do this. We're so close to the end. Go and don't worry about me. I will be fine. Do it for me, Marcus."
"Promise me you'll be ok."
"I will be ok. Now go and stop worrying about me." Susan admonished.
"Never happen. I like worrying about you." He said smiling.
"Marcus, it's time." A voice said bringing him back to the situation at hand.
Marcus looked at the man who had spoken. He was the first Narn ever to join the Rangers. He was a cousin to Ta'lon and every bit the warrior his cousin was as well.
"Ok. Launch when ready, Y'nosh. Let's finish this." Marcus said with determination.
Gunfire volleyed back and forth between the hulking grey ships, once allies, now enemies.
"Marcus, come around the far side of the Agamemnon. We're taking a lot of hits." Sheridan yelled on the view screen.
"On our way, Captain." Marcus replied.
"Y'nosh, as soon as you have a shot, fire."
He answered with a volley of laser fire. Their target backed off its attack of the Agamemnon and pulled away, a gaping hole in the hull trailing smoke as it went. Marcus stood looking out the view screen. He could see flashes of laser fire in the distance. A little further away he saw his supposed home planet of Earth. The ship shook drawing him out of his musings.
"What's going on?" Marcus asked.
"We're taking fire from several Star Furies. Estimate 4 of them, Marcus." Y'nosh said looking over his instrument panel.
"Are they insane? Star Furies are no match for a White Star." Marcus said incredulously.
"Shall we take them out?" Y'nosh asked.
"Just disable them. Let's not kill anyone we don't have to." Marcus sighed.
Marcus didn't care for war. That's why he liked the rangers. They were all about peace. Although sometimes the means necessary to insure the peace was anything but. An alarm sounded and the crew scrambled to their stations, checking monitors and instrument panels to determine the problem. It was an incoming message.
"Marcus, Mr. Garabaldi has sent the coordinates. We're ready to make our attack run." Y'nosh said his fingers running over the crystal controls.
"Signal Mars. We're on our way." Marcus said sitting in the command chair.
The white star swooped toward the red planet below. The view screen was momentarily cloudy as they penetrated the atmosphere.
"Acquiring target and locking on."
"Fire when ready, Y'nosh." Marcus commanded as he stood and approached the view screen.
The planetary defenses came into view.
"Approaching target. Firing."
The weapons tower exploded in a shower of sparks. They moved in search of the next tower.
"There it is, Y'nosh. Fi--aah!" Marcus stumbled, barely making backing to the command chair. His hands went to his head as he was hit with blinding pain.
"Marcus! Are you ok?" Y'nosh asked.
"Just fire. We have to finish the mission." Marcus stammered.
After tower two was destroyed, Y'nosh went to his friend's side.
"What is it? Shall I call for the medic?"
"No. There's nothing he can do. Complete the mission. No matter what, Y'nosh."
"We will."
"There are two targets left. Acquire and destroy. I need to rest for a few minutes. I'll be fine." Marcus rose from the chair and stumbled off the bridge. He leaned against the wall and made his way to the sleep chamber. The pain had dulled slightly. He lay down on the inclined bed and closed his eyes.
"Susan, what's wrong?" he thought at her.
"Marcus. I-I can't breathe. Pain. Can't stop."
"Susan, please hang on. Remember the candle meditation. Focus on the flame. Try to take slow breaths."
"Can't breathe. Can't…sorry. Love you..." her voice seemed to peter out and then there was silence.